Luminous attachment for locks



June 26, 1951 B. HEINZ LUMINOUS ATTACHMENT FOR LOCKS Filed Aug. 14, 1950 2 WWZ 1 INVENTOR ,B rnaral Heinz MQAM ATTORNEYS Patented June 26, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUMINOUS ATTACHMENT FOR LOCKS Bernard Heinz, Scranton, Pa.

Application August 14, 1950, Serial N 0. 179,354

This invention relates to a luminous attachment or part for door locks.

An object of this invention is to provide a luminous attachment or part for door locks which can be readily secured about the lock barrel of a conventional door look so as to provide a luminous guide for inserting the key in the keyhole of the lock barrel.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment or part of this kind which embodies a receptacle containing radium or other suitable material and a channeled or ring shaped holder within which the receptacle is positioned.

A further object of this invention is to provide a luminous attachment of this kind which can be mounted on conventional door locks without changing the construction of the lock.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a detailed front elevation of a luminous attachment constructed .according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the door and the attachment.

Figure 3 is a detailed front elevation partly broken away and in section of the luminous holder and key guide.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates generally a conventional door lock mounted in a door II. The door lock l0 includes an escutcheon plate I2 engaging on the outer side of the door II and about the lock barrel [3. In order to provide a means whereby a luminous key guide may be secured to the door lock I0, I have provided a channeled annular holder generally designated as I4.

The holder l4 embodies an outer annular wall IS, an inner annular wall l6, and a bottom wall H. An annular flange 18 extends from the outer wall l5, and a clamping plate I9 formed with an opening '20 engages about the outer wall l5 and bears against the flange I8. The holder I4 is formed with an annular cutout or groove in the inner face thereof so as to offset the inner wall [6 from the outer end of the lock barrel to provide for free rotation of the lock barrel. The plate I9 is adapted to be clamped to the escutcheon 12 by means of a pair of semi-circular clamping members 2! which are of U-shape in transverse section and engage about the escutcheon I2 and the plate or disc l9. The holder l4 3 Claims. (01. 250-76) has mounted therein a receptacle 22 which is of a U-shape in transverse section and has disposed therein a luminous element 23 in the form of radium or the like.

A cushion ring 24 is interposed between the inner side of the receptacle 22 and the bottom wall I! of the holder H. A transparent ring or panel '24 engages over the outer side of the receptacle 22 within the holder I4 and is firmly secured within the holder [4 by crimping 25. The inner wall It of the holder [4 is formed with a convex inner surface 26 which assists in the guiding of a key to the keyhole 21 formed in the lock barrel 13.

The cushion ring 24 is interposed between the receptacle 22 and the bottom of the holder [4 so that the crimping may be produced without cracking or otherwise injuring the luminous element 23. The recepetacle 22 provides a means whereby a relatively small amount of radium or other luminous material may be used, and this material will be evenly distributed within the receptacle 22 by merely passing a scraper over the outer edges of the receptacle.

As herein disclosed the receptacle 22 is formed of a bottom wall 28 and inner and outer flanges 29 and 30, respectively. The depth of the flanges 29 and 30 will regulate the depth of the luminous material 23.

I claim:

1. A luminous attachment for locks having a lock barrel and an escutcheon plate, said attachment comprising a ring-shaped holder engageable about said barrel, a flange about said holder, luminous means in said holder, and means securing said holder to said escutcheon plate, said last means comprising an apertured clamping plate of substantially the same diameter as said escutcheon plate and a pair of semi-circular clamping members of U-shaped cross section releasably securing the edges of said clamping and escutcheon plates together.

2. A luminous attachment for a lock having a lock barrel and an escutcheon plate, said attachment comprising a ring-shaped holder having a U-shape in transverse section, a, flange about said holder, a ring-shaped receptacle in said holder, a circular transparent member in said holder engaging over said receptacle, a. luminous element in said receptacle, means securing said receptacle and transparent member in said holder, and means securing said holder to said escutcheon plate about said barrel, said last means comprising an apertured clamping plate of substantially the same diameter as said es-i 3 cutcheon plate and a pair of semi-circular clamping members of U-shaped cross section releasably securing the edges of said clamping and escutcheon plates together.

3. A luminous attachment for a lock having a lock barrel and an escutcheon plate, said attachment comprising a ring-shaped holder having a U-shape in transverse section, a flange about said holder, a ring-shaped receptacle in said holder,

a circular transparent member in said holder.

engaging over said receptacle, a luminous'element in said receptacle, a circular cushion member interposed between said receptacle and the bottom of said holder, means secur n said receptacle and transparent member in said holder, and

means securing said holder to said escutcheon plate about said barrel, said last means comprising an .apertured clamping plate of substantially the same diameter as said escutcheon plate and a pair of semi-circular clamping members of U-shaped cross section releasably securing the edges of said clamping and escutcheon plates together.

BERNARD HEINZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,342,778 Thorne June 8, 1920 1,450,035 Guett Mar. 2'7, 1923 1,466,286 Hearn -QAug. 28, 1923 1,905,110 Kulicke Apr. 25, 1933 2,188,264. Fordyce Jan. 23, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 7 Date 859,502 France June 10, 1940 

